Are Pregnant Women More Vulnerable To The Virus?
Here, we’ll be telling you whether with regards to coronavirus and pregnancy a pregnant woman is more prone to this virus. Keep reading on.
To begin with, the virus hasn’t been studied extensively so no one can say for sure.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that pregnant women are more easily affected than others to all kinds of respiratory infections, such as the flu. Partly, this is because pregnancy causes changes to your immune system and also partly because of the way pregnancy impacts your heart and lungs.
Even so, as of March 2020, there’s no strong evidence suggesting that pregnant women are more vulnerable to COVID-19 than other people based on a 2020 study. And even if they do get the infection, the researchers go on to point out that they’re no more likely than others to get serious complications of the disease, like pneumonia.
Are There Safe Medical Treatments For Pregnant Women With the Coronavirus?
We trust you’ve been enjoying this informative article on coronavirus and pregnancy. Let’s find out if there are safe medical treatments for pregnant women with COVID-19.
The treatment for COVID-19 is pretty much the same as the treatment of other respiratory illnesses. This is because whether you’re pregnant or not, doctors advise that:
- you take acetaminophen (Tylenol) for a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- you stay well hydrated with water or low-sugar drinks
- you get enough rest
However, if Tylenol doesn’t bring down your fever, you have difficulty breathing, or you start vomiting, immediately call your doctor for further assistance.
How Dangerous Is It For Pregnant Women To Get Coronavirus?
Just as we said earlier in this article, because the virus is still very new, there’s little data to go on. However, experts can pull some data from the past. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that pregnant women who have gotten other, related coronaviruses have a higher chance of having worse outcomes than pregnant women who don’t get these infections.
Pregnant women with other coronaviruses experience things like miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth, and have a more severe infection. Also, high fever in the first trimester of pregnancy, no matter the cause can lead to birth defects.
OK, take a deep breath, we know that sounds really scary. However, all the news isn’t alarming, especially when we look at pregnant women who while sick with this particular virus have delivered.
Furthermore, according to a WHO report that looked at a small sampling of pregnant women with COVID-19, the enormous majority didn’t have serious cases. Out of the 147 women who were studied, 8 percent of them had severe COVID-19 and 1 percent were critical.
According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists reports, some Chinese women with coronavirus symptoms have given birth to preterm babies. However, it’s unclear whether the babies were born early because of the infection or because doctors decided to risk a premature delivery since the moms-to-be were unwell. Also, they’ve seen no evidence that this particular coronavirus causes miscarriage.
Can COVID-19 Be Passed To Your Baby During Pregnancy or Childbirth?
In this research on coronavirus and pregnancy, this is probably the biggest concern of almost every pregnant woman. Continue reading to find out if those fears are correct or misplaced.
So, we’ll be submitting this answer judging from the women who have given birth while infected with this coronavirus. From findings, the answer is probably that it’s unlikely or more accurately, that there’s no definitive evidence that it does.
Recall that COVID-19 is a disease that’s mainly passed from person to person through droplets (usually from the coughs and sneezes of infected people). With this in mind, your baby can only be exposed to such droplets after birth.
Furthermore, one tiny study looked at nine pregnant Chinese women infected with the new coronavirus in the last trimester of pregnancy. It was observed that the virus didn’t show up in samples taken from their amniotic fluid or cord blood or in throat swabs of the newborn babies.
However, in a slightly larger study, three newborns born to women who had COVID-19 tested positive for the virus, and another 30 newborns in the group tested negative. But, researchers are not sure whether the babies who tested positive really got the virus in utero or if they got it shortly after they were born.
Will You Need A Cesarean Section If You Have COVID-19 At The Time of Delivery?
Firstly, let’s establish that whether you deliver your baby vaginally or via cesarean will depend on a lot of factors, and not just on whether you have COVID-19.
However, according to lancet.com, experts say a vaginal delivery is favorable to cesarean delivery. This is provided that you’re eligible for a vaginal delivery and aren’t recommended for a c-section due to other factors. They also note that performing surgery on a body already weakened with a serious virus may cause extra complications.
Can Coronavirus Be Passed Through Breast Milk?
This is probably another reason for some serious fears when the subject of coronavirus and pregnancy is talked about.
A few studies have been done on breastfeeding women with the coronavirus. From findings gathered from these studies, the answer appears to be no. However, experts suggest that more research needs to be done before they can strongly say there is no risk.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that you should speak with your doctor about the pros and cons of breastfeeding if you’re a new mom who has COVID-19 or suspects you might. Then, if you do decide to breastfeed, you can help to reduce your baby’s exposure to the virus by:
- putting on a face mask
- thoroughly washing your hands before touching your baby and make sure to get under your nails and into the webbing of your fingers
- washing your hands thoroughly before you handle a breast pump or bottle
- consider having someone who is well to give the baby a bottle of expressed breast milk
The Best Strategies for Avoiding the Coronavirus
Without a doubt, you’ve heard them before. However, let’s remind you of them again:
- Thoroughly wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and running water. In summary, use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. And skip the baby wipes because they don’t disinfect.
- Stand 6 feet away from people to observe social distancing.
- Try as much as you can to not touch your face, especially your mouth, eyes, and nose.
- Avoid places where there are large crowds. In fact, the more you can reduce your exposure to people, the better for you.
- Take care of yourself by eating well, getting enough rest, and exercising if your doctor says it’s OK. This is because a healthy body is better able than a run down one to fight off all kinds of diseases.
The Conclusion On Coronavirus and Pregnancy
Just like swollen ankles and constipation, worry is a constant companion for any pregnant woman. However, it’s very important to maintain the right perspective.
Without a doubt, this new coronavirus is a serious business, but, pregnant or not, you’re not a person or thing with no protection against an attack or other source of danger.
Furthermore, while there is still a lot that needs to be learned about the virus, the little research available right now shows that pregnant women with COVID-19 are no more likely than others to have severe disease. Again, the virus is not likely to be passed along to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth, according to the limited data that has been gathered so far.
Nevertheless, as the saying goes, it pays to be prepared, not scared. Observing simple steps like thorough hand washing and reducing your time in crowds can go a long way in protecting both you and your baby.
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